Support Ex-Rank
I replied to Hong Gyubin, telling him that I’ll look into it for now.
But I didn’t give a definite answer.
I could secure him an invitation ticket, but there was no room for ease.
It’s an opportunity to see valuable photos and videos of my playable character, so I had to get my share of invitations first.
‘I’ll ask Class 2-0 first.’
Geum Chansol and Wang Chansol have been behaving recently, probably because of the preparations for the festival.
The majority of teachers and students from student organizations were relieved that they didn’t run wild like Woo Kihwan, but we couldn’t let our guard down yet.
Attention-seekers are most dangerous when they’re not visible.
We don’t know what they’ll do to attract attention the next time they reappear.
Still, Jegal’s three-dimensional photobook was worth the risk.
Hong Gyubin’s morale would drop if he misses it, so I better be prepared.
‘I’ll talk to people about it before the festival. I should solve this one first.’
The task at hand is to rescue our classmates who are at risk of failing.
The parties in crisis are also seeking help, so there’s no reason not to extend any.
But it wasn’t easy.
“Lena! You can’t stop there!”
Hwiik!
At the Jiikhoe Hall simulator room.
Kwon Lena, who was dealing with the undead enemy specie, rolled big.
She moved reflexively to Mok Wooram’s words, but her balance eventually failed and she fell.
Her attack with her whip also missed.
The enemies, set according to the difficulty of the practical test, weren’t very fast, but they were intelligent enough to see the opportunity.
Seek…
Kwon Lena was startled when a finger with only bones was revealed through the robe.
The enemy type was a virtual undead enemy.
They look dead but they do not die, a skeleton-looking enemy that gives an eerie feeling.
Kwon Lena wanted to practice, saying that she wasn’t confident in fighting the undead type.
Even though she was determined, she couldn’t help but be scared.
Guguguu…
At that time, energy waves began to fluctuate at the fingertips left with only dark red stains.
Kwon Lena’s face clouded when she sensed that the air around her changed.
‘Is this over already? From the looks of the energy waves being gathered, I bet it’s a huge skill.’
The undead enemy had been wielding a blunt knife until now, but it seemed to be about to use a skill.
Although undead enemies wield weapons, their specialty was corrosion skills.
The essence of undead enemies was to pollute and rot their surroundings, leading them to death.
All the kids in our class, including Kwon Lena, knew that well.
Mok Wooram shouted urgently over the window of the simulator room.
Kwon Lena can hear our voices since she has allowed viewing mode, so perhaps I should stop Mok Wooram from speaking further.
“Lena! You need to get up soon…!”
“Hey, be quiet and watch. If you keep coaching her, she can’t practice on her own.”
“W-well… That’s true. I concede.”
Maeng Hyodon stopped Mok Wooram before I could.
Mok Wooram kept making loud noises without realizing it, his worry for Kwon Lena clearly showing.
When he remembered the nature of the practice though, Mok Wooram remained quiet.
Whenever Kwon Lena would struggle, he’d cover his mouth with both his hands.
“Heum…!”
Kwon Lena closed her eyes tightly.
When she opened them again, she tried to grab her whip.
But it wasn’t within her reach.
Fumbling on the floor, Kwon Lena looked flustered.
‘It’s best to use energy waves to get her weapon back in her hand, or she should take out her reserve weapon. That, or maybe use another skill…’
That’s what I thought Kwon Lena should do.
If I were in that situation, there are two courses of action.
First, if I was sure that it is the last energy in the boss room, I’ll use the light skill Banquet of Illusions to cover the enemy’s eyes, use that gap to compose myself, and then position to make a decisive hit.
Second, if there’s a possibility that some other enemies remain, I’ll risk damage from the corrosion skill but I’d move to grab my weapon right away.
I’m wearing armor and the rarity of undead enemies isn’t that high, so it’ll be okay if I get hit by the skill a little.
Of course, I don’t want Kwon Lena to get hurt at all, so I’d like her to use her light skill or pull out her backup weapon for now.
Perhaps my wish worked, Kwon Lena reached for her card holster.
‘Is she going to take out a weapon item card? But I think her weapon card is in her other holster…’
Kwon Lena didn’t pull out a weapon card.
The unique border of the card she placed between her fingers tells me that it’s an SSR-rank card.
While Kwon ena conflicted with something, the undead enemy’s skill was invoked.
Guguuugu…
Very slowly, the area around the undead enemy began to rot.
I could see the air moving toward Kwon Lena.
She stepped back and eventually actualized the item card she had in her hand.
Fwaaaat!
The kids who were looking at the simulator room were nervous and puzzled.
It was a platinum-colored energy violin.
“She took out her violin at this moment…!”
“Hey, what are you doing!”
Saeum of April and Maeng Hyodon, both have been watching well without giving advice, lamented.
On the other hand, Hani watched quietly even though she was worried, and Mok Wooram was desperately holding onto his mouth.
Kwon Lena then actualized a bow and drew a long string.
“Ah…”
However, no sound from the violin was heard.
It was as if the instrument refused to sing, knowing that the owner couldn’t afford to play the violin properly at the moment.
Kwon Lena stroked the string once again as she looked at her violin with a stunned face.
However, there was still no sound from the energy violin.
‘She always got a sound from her violin even when she was a beginner though.’
Kwon Lena may have tried to fight with an energy violin like Kwon Jein.
However, it takes considerable mental and technical strength to perform during battle and deal damage using energy waves.
With Kwon Lena’s performance skills and mental strength, perhaps it wasn’t yet possible to perform in front of an enemy and deal it damage.
Fortunately, the skill activated by the undead enemy didn’t affect Kwon Lena.
“Ah, I think the enemy’s skill can’t reach her because of that item.”
“Ah… high rarity items have a passive effect of protecting their owner! Thank goodness!”
Maeng Hyodon and Saeum of April looked remarkably relieved.
On the other hand, Kwon Lena looked demoralized as she stared at the violin.
She looked like she wanted to try again, but she stopped her hand repeatedly.
‘Kwon Lena isn’t in a state to fight. It’s over once the enemy stops the corrosive skill and she can grab her weapon again.’
Beeep!
[Simulation stopped.]
A hologram appeared in front of Kwon Lena and in front of me, and the view beyond the glass changed completely.
The virtual world’s undead enemies and rotten land were all gone.
Looking at the notification, Kwon Lena looked stiff.
Even when Hani opened the simulator room door without saying a word and went next to her, Kwon Lena was silent.
“Good work.”
“…Yeah.”
Kwon Lena replied quietly to my remarks.
She raised her head when she carded the violin and bow.
She shook off her regrets and got up.
“I was going to try this violin, but it didn’t work. I succeeded a few times when I was practicing with Kwon Jein sunbaenim but… I can’t even make it make a sound because of the enemy in front of me.’
Kwon Lena also carded the whip.
“I can’t do it. Looks like I’ll have to use the whip for this est.”
“I’ll help you.”
“Huh? But you’re not a whip user Euishin and— Ah, you have the Use Objects skill! I’ll be thankful for your help.”
I’m glad that I could be of help to Kwon Lena.
With the exams just around the corner, it won’t be possible to improve her whip skills by a lot, but I could help her practice dealing with crises.
I made a practical practice plan in my head.
‘Maeng Hyodon doesn’t have to worry about the practical test. The problem is Kwon Lena and maybe Saeum of April too.’
Would it be better to replace their practical tests with reports or written tests like the kids taking the final exam remotely abroad?
The thought crosses my mind, but it was shut down soon.
I heard that the assignments and tests that replace the practical test were quite difficult.
Heavy written works might be of more burden on Kwon Lena.
Saeum of April is also just above average, so that option would be difficult.
I tried making a plan for the two to prepare for practical training together, but I felt a sense of incompatibility.
‘Mok Wooram is too quiet.’
He normally would ask dozens of times how Kwon Lena was, but he wasn’t saying anything.
He had a strange expression.
It was mixed with subtle emotions that were hard to decipher, but he looked a little resentful.
‘What’s wrong with Mok Wooram?’
Is it because I offered to help Kwon Lena with her whipping technique?
No, I don’t think so.
His eyes were on the energy violin card in Kwon Lena’s hand.
Mok Wooram took a deep breath and talked to Kwon Lena.
“You did well with practice, Lena.”
“Yea, thanks for the advice out there. I lasted longer because of that.”
“…It’s nothing. In the end, it wasn’t a big help.”
After Mok Wooram talked to Kwon Lena, he seemed to have made up his mind.
The resolution was revealed in an unexpected form.
“Vice president, is it okay if I move separately during practical test training time? I thought of something to do, but I will definitely come back and study with Lena and you for the written test.”
Mok Wooram is going to do something without Kwon Lena?
It was limited to practical skills, but it bothered me.
Not the only one finding it strange, Maeng Hyodon voiced out his question.
“You’re not going to buy some weird stuff again are you?”
“I’ve never bought weird stuff. Unfortunately, I can’t find a part-time job in school because it’s the exam period.”
Mok Wooram looked determined.
He seemed to be scheming something.
I wasn’t worried about his physical abilities for the practical test, so I thought it was alright.
He’ll still be helping Kwon Lena with her written tests too.
“Okay, I’ll revise the schedule. Tell me in advance if you’re going to practice with us.”
“Thank you, vice president!”
After that, a few more people practiced in the simulator room.
Saeum of April and Kwon Lena were likely to fail the practical exam, but the other kids did well.
Hani seemed to have slowed down a little, but she still had ease.
Maeng Hyodon and Mok Wooram quickly overpowered the enemies and left the simulator room.
“Let’s call it a day. I’ll send the revised schedule to your devices.”
“Good job, everyone. I’m off.”
“Hey, let’s get some late-night snacks from Jiikhoe.”
“That’s right!”
“…Do they have sweets?”
Before we parted ways, we decided to go to the lobby of the Jiikhoe Hall for late-night snacks.
The students distributing snacks were almost all third graders in consideration of their juniors who will be taking their final exam.
Among those considerate seniors was Sung Siwan.
“Come on over, I prepared these in advance for you Class Zero kids.”
Perhaps continuously challenging the former head of the Player Association, Sung Siwan looked thinner than when I last saw him.
Support Ex-Rank
